Sewing box



M. D. MANN SEWING BOX June 11, 1963 Filed Oct. 14, 1960 INVENTOR. MARWN D. MANN ATTORNEY United States Patent Qffi ce 3,093,277 Patented June 1963 3,093,277 SEWING BOX Marvin D. Mann, 4619 E. 25th St., Tucson, Ariz. Filed Oct. 14, 1960, Ser. No. 62,577 1 Claim. (Cl. 223-106) This invention relates to an improved sewing box. More particularly, the invention relates to improved means for supporting spools of thread in a sewing box.

An object of the invention is to provide a container having ample storage space for spools of thread within a relatively small box, the arrangement being such that the user can remove spools quickly and easily.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sewing box wherein a rotary rack is rotatably mounted in a box in such a manner that spools of thread may be stored vertically on the rack without falling ofi as the rack is rotated. I

A further object of the invention is to provide a rotary rack which will store more spools than racks heretofore available and yet permit removal of a single spool without disturbing any other spool on the rack.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shaped wall which cooperates with vertical spool-holding spindles to retain spools of thread thereon as a shaft ca-rrying the spindles is rotated.

These and other objects will become apparent by referring to the accompanying specification and drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a sewing box of the invention with its lid open showing spool holders therein;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view through the box of FIGURE 1 with its lid closed; and

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the spool holder of FIGURE 1 showing the knob for rotating same.

The sewing box or container comprising my invention includes a box having end walls 12, sidewalls 14, a bottom wall 16, fixed cover portions 18 and a hinged cover portion or lid 20. A pull-tab 22 may be provided for opening the lid 20. The lid 20 cooperates with the fixed cover portions 18 to define an opening to the interior of the box 10 which is no wider than necessary to admit the fingers of a person removing a spool of thread from the interior of the box 10.

A spool holder or rack 24 is rotatably mounted between the end walls 12 by means of shafts 26 which rotate in suitable apertures in the end walls 12. The spool holder 24 includes a shaft 28 which may be square (as shown), round, hexagonal or other suitable shape. A plurality of spindles 30 are vertically mounted on the shaft 28. The spindles 30 are suitably dimensioned to receive spools of thread 34. While only two spools are shown, it will be apparent that spools may be placed on all spindles 30.

The shaft 28 is rotated by means of a knob 32 which may be affixed to one shaft 26 exteriorly of the end wall 12.

The box 10 may be suitably dimensioned to serve as a drawer in a sewing-machine cabinet. In this case, the knob 32 will also serve as a drawer-pull.

A wall 36, which must be shaped substantially as shown in FIG. 2, is mounted on the box 10 closely adjacent the free ends of the spindles 30 to retain the spools 34 on the spindles 20 when the spool holder 24 is rotated to bring a particular spool of thread into position under the lid 20. The lid 20 may then be opened and the desired spool of thread removed without disturbing any other spool 34. The wall 36 cooperates with the lid 20 and the fixed cover portions 18 to form a wall which encompasses the free ends of the spindles 30 closely adjacent thereto to retain the spools 34 on spindles 30 regardless of whether the lid 20 and cover portions 18 are on the top or the bottom of the box 10.

My improved sewing box is to be distinguished from other types employing shafts and spindles.

In one such type, a central shaft carries a disc at one end and is equipped with a plurality of spindles in cireumferentially spaced relation near the periphery of the disc and parallel to the shaft. The free ends of the spindles are disposed in closely spaced relation to a wall to keep the spools in place on the spindles, there being one point at which spools may be placed on or removed from the spindles through a cut-out portion of the wall. With the type of sewing box just described it is necessary either to limit the number of spools that can be stored therein by having short spindles accommodating a single spool of thread or provide adequate storage by employing long spindles accommodating several spools. When several spools are mounted on a single spindle, it is inconvenient to remove a number of spools to get a desired spool which may be the first one on the spindle adjacent the disc.

In another type of sewing box employing shafts and spindles, a single row of spindles is mounted on a shaft which is rotatably mounted in the lid of the sewing box. A single row of spindles must be used because there is no way to keep the spools from falling off the spindle if the shaft is rotated too far past its normal position. This type of sewing box also requires means to lock the shafts against rotation so that the weight of the spools will not rotate the shaft when the lid is closed.

With my improved sewing box, on the other band, a plurality of rows of spindles may be vertically spaced along the longitudinal axis of the shafts on all sides thereof because the shaped wall 36 and the covers 18 and 20 retain the spools 34 in position on the spindles 30 even though the shaft 28 be rotated until the spindles 30 are pointing straight down or the box 10 be upset. This arrangement permits storing more spools in a smaller space with each individual spool being readily accessible than in other types of sewing boxes.

The operation of this device is now readily apparent from the foregoing. When it is desired to place spools of thread on the spindles 30, the knob 32 is rotated to turn the shaft 28 until a desired row of spindles 30 is exposed in the opening under the lid 20. When one row of spindles 30 has been filled with spools, the shaft 28 may be rotated to bring the next row of spindles 30 into position under the lid 20. All of the spindles 30 may carry spools of thread and any single spool may be quickly selected and removed without disturbing any other spool.

The shaft 28- needs no locking-means to prevent undesired rotation because the wall 36 and the covers 18 and 20 will prevent dislodgment of the spools regardless of the amount of rotation of the shaft 28 or the box 10.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

1 claim:

A container for spools of thread having spindle engaging bores comprising:

a :box having end Walls;

a square shaft rotatably mounted between said end walls;

spindles vertically mounted along the longitudinal axis of said shaft, the diameter of said spindles being sub- 4 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Adams July 31, 1951 Best July 12, 1960 

